Records show Tony Blair told David Trimble to drop 2002 border poll plan in Northern Ireland.

Confidential records reveal that Tony Blair told David Trimble to "get lost" regarding the timing of a border poll in Northern Ireland in 2002. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 obliges the UK to call a referendum if there's a shift toward Irish unity. Trimble's plan to hold a border poll during the Assembly election was opposed by the SDLP and Irish government, who feared it would polarize the region and boost votes for Sinn Fein and the DUP. The plan never materialized due to the collapse of power-sharing institutions. No border poll has been held since 1998.

December 29, 2024
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